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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23645434">Static and Fuzz</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunSwirls/pseuds/SunSwirls'>SunSwirls</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Adventure Zone (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Lucretia went too far, Memory Loss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:35:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>609</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23645434</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunSwirls/pseuds/SunSwirls</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A bit from an au over on tumblr (badendbirds.tumblr.com, the voidfish'd one) because I binged one of the aus on that blog and then the rest and whoops my hand slipped...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>92</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Static and Fuzz</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/MegoSlacker/gifts">MegoSlacker</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This popped into my head really quick when reading a post about how things change with Lucretia over estimating how much she erased from the twins' memories. Next thing I know, I wrote this. Whoopsie doopsie....</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The doors to a large foyer are opened for Magnus, Barry, and Merle, showing a dais on the opposite side. There are guards stationed inside by the doors and a few along the walls, with just two standing at the bottom of the dais. Atop the dias is a throne, a middle-aged woman with dark skin, immaculate robes, and a white oak staff sitting in it, and a smartly dressed elf standing next to her, hands by his sides, expression blank and as far away as the actual moon.</p><p>The woman welcomes the three, the elf silent as they go over the necessary information. Every so often, one of them will look at the elf. <em>It doesn't feel right</em>, part of them whispers. <em>It's not right for that elf to be so silent, so motionless. </em>Then the thought fades, forgotten as he is.</p><p>"Taako, go get one of the destruction spheres, please," he's told. He doesn't bat an eye, doesn't smile, doesn't nod. He simply turns and exits the room, doing as he was told.</p><p>"So uh... Who's the elf?" Barry asks while Taako is retrieving the sphere.</p><p>"That's Taako, my - one of," she corrects herself, looking at the chipper Davenport beside her, "my wards."</p><p>"Not particularly talkative, is he?" Magnus comments.</p><p>"Taako is..." She has to word this carefully. "Taako is a good friend of mine, but he was recently cursed. That curse took away his autonomy. I'm taking care of him until we can find a way to reverse it."</p><p>It's not a lie, but it stings all the same. It's her own fault; she did that to him. She underestimated how much she was erasing. His blank gaze haunts her, sometimes. She should have double checked, triple checked, octuple checked. But she didn't, and now he's stuck like this.</p><p>She looks at him later that day, simply standing beside her. He must be in some pain, even if he doesn't know it. "Have a seat, Taako," she says to him.</p><p>He merely blinks at her, and she exhales. "Sit," she says, gesturing to the stairs. </p><p>That prompts a response, prompts him to do as she says. She looks at him, feeling much older than fifty. "They're here, Taako. They're here. They don't remember us. They won't, not until we're safe. Maybe not even then." She sighs, rubbing her face. "I'm a coward. Do you know how many times I've thought about never bringing them in?"</p><p>Taako just blinks.</p><p>"I've thought about never telling them. Not about the Bureau, and most certainly not about our mission." She sighs. "You all will hate me when that day comes. Perhaps I deserve it. But we've already come this far." She looks at the curtained window, at the distant dome that holds Fisher's tank. "I can't give up now. You all will just try to stop me, and there is no other way."</p><p>She looks back at Taako and exhales. "Sometimes I wish you could talk to me. Even just say your name, like Davenport. It's my own fault, I know. I still wish you could. I miss all of you. Ten years is... Ten years is quite a long time alone. Even if I'm not alone."</p><p>The elf doesn't respond. Lucretia stands, using her staff to help her. "But it's not the same, and it won't be for a long time." She smiles sadly at an unresponsive Taako. "All that's in your head right now is static and fuzz."</p><p>She rests a hand on his shoulder, coaxing him up and bringing him with her. She's got a piece of the light she needs to channel into the Bullwark Staff.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm not sorry :3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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